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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The aims of this study were to characterize the exposure of pregnant women living in
Portugal to 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) and to evaluate the association of this exposure with
maternal outcomes and newborn anthropometric measures. We also aimed to compare exposure
in summer with exposure in winter. Pregnant women attending ultrasound scans from April 2018
to April 2019 at a central hospital in Porto, Portugal, were invited to participate. Inclusion criteria
were: gestational week between 10 and 13, confirmed fetal vitality, and a signature of informed
consent. 3-PBA was measured in spot urine samples by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry
(GC-MS). The median 3-PBA concentration was 0.263 (0.167; 0.458) μg/g creatinine (n = 145). 3-PBA
excretion was negatively associated with maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.049),
and it was higher during the summer when compared to winter (p < 0.001). The frequency of fish or
yogurt consumption was associated positively with 3-PBA excretion, particularly during the winter
(p = 0.002 and p = 0.015, respectively), when environmental exposure is low. Moreover, 3-PBA was
associated with levothyroxine use (p = 0.01), a proxy for hypothyroidism, which could be due to a
putative 3-PBA—thyroid hormone antagonistic effect. 3-PBA levels were not associated with the
anthropometric measures of the newborn. In conclusion, pregnant women living in Portugal are
exposed to 3-PBA, particularly during summer, and this exposure may be associated with maternal
clinical features.
Description
Keywords
3-PBA Pyrethroid pesticide Pregnancy Newborn Anthropometry
Citation
Publisher
MDPI